The Ultimate Sales Machine - Chet Holmes [78]
Next, you want to print drink coupons that your sales staff (and models) hand out. This makes your sales staff very popular. Everyone gets two coupons with the invite, but when they want more, they have to come to you. This also enables you to control the bill and make sure that strangers aren’t telling the bartender: “I’m with the XYZ party. Put it on their tab.” Then, at the end of the night, the club owner can count the coupons and you just pick up the bar tab. I usually negotiate a flat fee—say, $6 per drink. Some folks will drink scotch but many will drink water or club soda. So if you get a low prenegotiated price, knowing that most people will not drink the really expensive drinks, the manager will usually agree to a set price for all drinks. Do the math. If you have 200 people who drink an average of three drinks, that’s 600 drinks at $6, so you’re talking about a bar tab of under $4,000. Not a lot to pay for the “best party at the trade show.”
Here are a few more things to think about. Usually a trade show will have one night when the organizers are throwing a party or event. It’s not wise to go up against that. Also, if you’re a small company and some major player is renting out Disneyland, you can get lost. So try to find out what else is going on before you choose the night of your party.
And make sure you make it hot—the party to attend. You do that by being slightly stingy with the invites and telling every one, “This is going to be the hottest party at this trade show.”
The first place I threw one of these parties was Toronto. I cut the exact deal mentioned with the club that was at the top of the CN Tower—talk about the ideal place to throw the party. I had five charming superstar salespeople who went around and promoted that party like it was going to be amazing. I hired an incredibly attractive model to help promote it, and we went from obscurity in that market to top of the buzz in one single trade show.
The most important rule about throwing a trade show party is that it has to be fun! That’s one of the benefits of throwing a party at a club that is already open for business. You have some built-in potential dance partners. Make sure every one is dancing and having a great time. Models are a great idea here, too, and only cost about $100 extra to attend the party. Heck, they might go just because it sounds like fun. They will draw attention and get people dancing.
Your role at the party is important to the overall success of the party as well. Be very friendly. Boldly walk up to people and shake their hands. Then introduce them to others. Make sure no one is standing around looking uncomfortable. The bottom line is that you want trade show buzz the next day with every one talking about your party.
Some more themes that I’ve used to great success in the past include setting up a casino in the booth, hosting a magician, hiring a fortune-teller, and creating a Roaring Twenties theme. The possibilities are endless, but the most effective themes tie into what you sell. That’s more entertaining and ensures that your message won’t be lost amid all of those tropical drinks or fortune revelations.
I had a client who chose a Star Trek theme. We all dressed up in high-quality Star Trek uniforms, complete with the beeper on the chest that made that little sound when you said, “Beam me up, Scotty.” It was a huge success. The CEO had the admiral’s uniform, so he was especially distinguished. This company was trying to establish that it was the future in that particular industry.
Another client, who sold